Now Playing

Hyperlocal bowling

The Vibe
High rafters, dark wood, and steel grays impart a warehouse feel—but it’s all ironic, because the place is spotless and well designed. Definitely hipster chic.

The Crowd
People in their late 20s and early 30s who arrive on bikes and sport artistic tattoos, plus their 40ish friends, dressed 15 years younger than they should be.
The Uniform
Cuffed skinny jeans, floral print skirts, beanies, and anything else from Mission Thrift.

MISSION BOWLING CLUB

The Wall Candy
Photos of the bowling alley during construction; three mirrors above the bar that are so old and worn that you can’t actually see anything in them; and a living wall that includes an artwork shaped like a bowling pin.

MISSION BOWLING CLUB

The Eats
With Anthony Myint (of Mission Chinese Food and Commonwealth) as executive chef, the menu would be right at home in any of the neighborhood’s hot spots. Think blackened fish with potato confit and turnip purée and buttermilk panna cotta with chamomile brittle for dessert.
The Drinks
A full bar with $8 to $10 cocktails if you’re feeling fancy, and some $3 beers if you’re not.

MISSION BOWLING CLUB

The Ante$35 per hour before 6 p.m.; $45 after 6 p.m.; $55 after 8 p.m.

The Best Lebowski Character Match
Maude; she’d fit right in with the laid-back yet artistic ambience.

LUCKY STRIKE

The Vibe
The place looks and feels like a club lounge that just happens to have some bowling lanes. Renowned Potrero Hill–based designer Ray Azoulay has imparted unique touches plus visual motifs (minus the grunge) straight out of The Big Lebowski. And what other alley has a concierge at the entrance?

The Crowd
Professional thirtysomethings in Armani discussing their recent bachelor party in Las Vegas; fifty- and sixtysomethings wearing similarly priced clothes and talking about their recent trip to Napa.

The Uniform
A strict dress code prohibits, among other things, hoodies and baggy clothing, which means that despite the Lebowski homage, neither the Dude, Walter, nor Donny would be allowed inside.

LUCKY STRIKE

The Wall Candy
A classy mix of vintage and modern, from Warhol-inspired portraits of Marilyn Monroe to an odd display of black-and-white Albert Einstein portraits that defies explanation. (Bowling is for brainiacs?)

LUCKY STRIKE

The Eats
Mostly standard bowling-alley fare, but the ice cream and the meat are organic. More aspirational items include a lobster club, fresh sushi, “artisan macaroons,” and a special seasonal menu.

The Drinks
Cocktails from $8 to $12 and a wide variety of beers—both made with locally sourced ingredients. The swanky bar features a custom lighting installation made from more than 1,200 lights.

LUCKY STRIKE

The Ante
$40 per hour before 5 p.m.; $50 after that; $60 on the weekends. You can also rent a private room with its own bar and bowling lanes (one is number 38, after alley partner and Giants pitcher Brian Wilson) for $2,500 for two hours.

The Best Lebowski Character Match
Bunny; definitely some May-December action going on
in here.

In March, the city doubled its alleys from two to four when Lucky Strike opened across from AT&T Park and Mission Bowling Club opened in—guess where. Both are far from your basic all-American, 60-lane, fried-food-heavy alley. Here’s how they stack up—and how they speak to their particular demographic.